Swimming can be risky during monsoon

Islamabad - Swimming excursion is no more fun for the citizens and can claim their lives due to increased water level in the rivers, dams and nullahs in the twin cities during the ongoing pre-monsoon rain spells.

Despite warnings by the concerned authorities, youngsters especially teenagers during every summer go for taking shower in the rivers, dams and nullahs for the sake of fun and beating the scorching heat of summer.

Talking to APP, mother of a 23-year-old boy Hassan who died while taking shower in `Neela Sandh River’ last Sunday said, “My son went to Neela Sandh River for swimming and fun along with his friends in group and he drowned in the deep water while taking shower and died. The river is located on Lehtrar Road Islamabad and it is the nearby location and most of the youngsters go for taking shower there. Thinking that there is no harm in going there, we didn’t object,” she said.

She said, “I lost my only son due to this incident and I urge the parents like me to stop their children and educate them about the hazards of such life taking activities.”

Another youngster, Faraz whose four family members died in Khanpur Dam few years back while saving his brother from drowning said, “Visiting Dam proved as dreadful inci dent for our family as I lost my four brothers during this incident.”

“There must be some mechanism to disseminate proper awareness among the people about the hazards of swimming and taking shower in the Dams, rivers and nullahs by the authorities to save them from any untoward incident.”

Director General Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Dr Ghulam Rasool said during this monsoon season, excessive rains can cause every kind of floods. “Citizens must stay away from billboards and dangling wires during the rain-thunderstorm and gusty winds”, he said.

The DG said the citizens should avoid taking shower and swimming in the rivers, nullahs and dams due to increasing water level.

He said, “Sometimes those taking shower in rivers consider that they are moving on big stones but they fell into deep ravine just beside the stones.”

According to the Spokesman of Rescue 1122, the authority has handled eleven drowning emergency cases with seven victims from January till June even before start of monsoon season. Out of seven victims, the official informed that six victims were expired. The Rescue-1122 administration has urged the citizens to extend their cooperation with the rescuers and avoid swimming in the deep waters to save precious lives.